Baked Cauliflower Falafel

I was able to spend most of my life with an under-appreciation of Israeli food without an issue. There’s something about it that I didn’t quite get, and a lot of cilantro, which I hate. But lately, there has been a craze for it and I’m starting to get it. It’s about simplicity with a very complex twist. It’s about spices and freshness, and tahini. It’s about eating with your hands and sharing. It’s about nourishing the body as well as the soul, and about grinding simple sesame and tuning it into gold, taking dried chickpeas and grinding them to the point of hummusnesness that everyone can agree on. It’s about everything that we must fight to keep: a table with a conversation and a shared understanding that if nothing else, we can all get our hands dirty over some pita and hummus, and appreciate the experience. As Yotam Ottolenghi puts it, “In the Middle East, there’s a small piece of land with two nations fighting over it. Everything is important, including the food.”- food represents pride and heritage. When we have a past and a culture, we strive to keep it, because we know there’s nothing more certain than the past. And to be honest, there’s nothing I see currently that accepts foreignness as much as the food culture does. And that’s a treasure we must fight to preserve. We must take our hands, get them dirty, converse, share, maybe get some heat going (in the kitchen and on the table), but keep on it, maybe not to find a common ground, but at least understand that neither lacks the passion and pride to share what we call home.

Cauliflower Falafel with Chipotle Tahini

1 ¾ cups dried chickpeas

3 garlic cloves

1/2 head cauliflower

1 small onion

1 bunch parsley

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp coriander

1/2 Tbsp sea salt

a dash of cayenne pepper

black pepper

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp lemon juice

olive oil

1/4 cup tahini paste

1 chipotle with 4 Tbsp adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves

You need to soak your chickpeas in water the day before, they need about 24 hours. When ready, drain them. Chop the onion, parsley, garlic, and cauliflower. Now place it all on your food processor (in batches if need be). Add the spices and salt. Mix baking soda with 1 Tbsp water and mix, add it to the batter. It needs to be grainy but be able to hold its shape. Place it all on a sieve over a bowl. Place it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Try to squeeze most of the water out of it. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with olive oil (this will help them brown nicely). Create small disks with your hands and place on the sheet. Bake on a preheated oven at 370º. When browned on the bottom, flip them so the top gets browned too. Make the tahini by placing the paste, garlic, chipotles with sauce, lemon juice, and some olive oil on the food processor and mix until spreadable. Add water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over pita or as a side.

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About the author

I'm a Fashion Designer, Stylist, Anti-Frida Mexican, imaginary Bill Murray ex-girlfriend, and over all, a baker and food lover. Cakes come into my dreams more often than I do, and so, I am now a blogger- to show you (and remind me) of all the deliciousness my kitchen and I can create- and you can too. Follow and share my recipes and you will be rewarded with love!